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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24570847">talk sense to me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carpelia/pseuds/Carpelia'>Carpelia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Wolf (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Ghost Laura Hale, Ghosts, Laura Hale &amp; Stiles Stilinski Friendship, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 07:07:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24570847</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carpelia/pseuds/Carpelia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Stiles connected with a ghost that needed help with the mystery of their death, he jumped at the chance without knowing what was waiting for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrikerStiles/gifts">StrikerStiles</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from "I found" - Amber Run.<br/>This is a birthday gift for my dear wife @StrikerStiles. I love you, and I am glad that you are in my life. The plot of this fic comes from that tweet that we discussed as a Sterek AU.<br/>For reference, this is the tweet: https://twitter.com/roxiqt/status/1257485205490761729?s=20</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a usual weekday evening and Stiles was lost in Wikipedia articles of things that he didn’t even know he was curious about. All in all, a usual activity for Stiles, when he was home alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until he was distracted by the notification sound coming from his phone. He eagerly grabbed it, hoping it would be a text from Scott asking to hang out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it was better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally got a </span>
  <em>
    <span>match.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The match was from the app called Ghosting which Stiles downloaded a few months ago. The point of the app was to help ghosts who had unfinished business – or just were not ready to leave completely. At first it looked like a scam, but Stiles looked into it until he found the developers – a couple of necromancers who did not have time to help all the ghosts they encountered so they developed the app to assist the ghosts all over the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Afterwards, Stiles checked the app regularly, but he did not have any matches because there were never any ghosts in Beacon Hills who needed help. Until now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He almost dropped his phone out of excitement while trying to open the app but caught it in the last minute. He quickly scanned the information about his match.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The match: Laura Hale</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Age: 25</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Place of death: Beacon Hills</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cause of death: Unknown</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Species: Werewolf</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>A werewolf?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Stiles exclaimed excitedly and immediately called Scott. Scott did not answer, and Stiles tried it two more times until he gave up. He was too impatient and excited to wait for Scott to answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened the app again and clicked on “Start contact”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A young woman with pale face and long black hair appeared in front of her. There were two things that were too shocking for Stiles to comprehend at the first look at the ghost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first one was, she was too pale to be a living being. And two, well, she only had her upper body. Below the waist – including her legs – were not there, and there was blood dripping from her waist, but none of that was reaching to the floor of Stiles’s bedroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh my god.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello to you too. Is that how you always greet your guests?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When they are missing half of their bodies, </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laura looked down at herself, as if she somehow forgot she died and lost half of her body. Along with her, Stiles looked at her again, this time in more detail.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her long black hair was dirty and entangled, her black leather jacket and shirt had mud and some other things Stiles could not identify.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Then she lifted her head and shrugged her shoulder, “Fair enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stiles could no longer stay calm. “You are a werewolf. So you must be pretty strong. How the hell did you die?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is for you to figure out. What’s your name, by the way?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>**</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She told Stiles that the last thing she remembered was going into the woods to investigate the murders that looked like they were caused by a werewolf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So they were walking into the woods. In the middle of the night. Stiles and a ghost. Where a suspected werewolf was hanging out and killing humans and werewolves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If his father knew what he was doing, he would be grounded for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laura was telling him about how they used to live in Beacon Hills, but they moved to New York with his brother Derek a few years ago, but they kept tabs on the town from time to time. Laura did not give him the details, but Stiles connected the dots because he could remember the Hale fire that killed most of the habitants of the house, except the three members of the family: teenage Derek, barely adult Laura, and the uncle who sustained severe burns that put him in a coma.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laura kept explaining that she and her brother Derek saw the news of bodies found in the preserve, they both thought it looked more complicated than wild animals so they decided to investigate. Laura was insistent that she should go check it out - because she was stronger due to her alpha status, and she did not want to put her brother in harm’s way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look where that thinking got you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, better me than Derek. At least he is safe in New York.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if he was here with you, I imagine your chances of survival would be higher.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, there is no use thinking about that, is there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just before Stiles opened his mouth to respond, he heard sounds - his father and the deputies. Apparently they already found Laura’s body - unless there was another killing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stiles hid behind a tree before one of the deputies with flashlights saw him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sheriff and the deputies are already here. What’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we came here because we thought we could find something helpful to figure out your death. But they are gathering all the evidence. Maybe I should get caught, I could see some things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And how are you going to explain the reason you are here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did I not mention that part? My dad is the sheriff.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>**</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes Stiles forgot how smart his dad was, or it was more likely that his father was quite familiar with his son’s tactics by now, because in the end, Stiles ended up not learning anything, and Laura chattered in his ear about what a bad idea it was while he sat in his dad’s cruiser.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After his dad and the deputies were done in the preserve, he came back to drive Stiles home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you know there was a dead body tonight, Stiles?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stiles knew better than to tell his dad about the app, because he did not want to send his father to an early grave. That’s why he had to tell him about the other secret he had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I found the frequency of the police radio a few weeks ago so I was keeping tabs, dad. You know, pretty usual projects for bored high school kids.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For god’s sake, Stiles.” His father put his hands on his face and after letting out a big sigh, he started the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>**</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, the Sheriff grounded Stiles for two weeks - he was not allowed to leave the house except for lacrosse practice. He went to bed while grumbling about kids with too much energy and time on their hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what? We have to wait two weeks to go back?” Laura looked disappointed, at least Stiles thought she did. Her eyebrows were very expressive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way. He will go back for his morning shift, and we will leave after him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are really helping me Stiles. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Even if nothing comes out of this-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey. Stop talking like that. You don’t know what I’m like when I put my mind to something. I once did not sleep for three days because I wanted to figure out how spaceships work. And let me tell you, I know enough to land an internship at NASA.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stiles was not sure whether she should feel successful at making a ghost smile, but he could not help himself, Laura looked like a miracle with that watery smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>**</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was mid morning, Stiles was walking along with Laura into the preserve. Laura woke him up right after his dad left for his morning shift, but Stiles insisted on having coffee and breakfast before leaving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are going to puke all of that if we find something gross, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m a growing boy. Also you do not want to deal with me before coffee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I warned you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stiles gave her a thumbs up and continued walking. He didn’t know which way they were supposed to go, but Laura was leading the way. Even without her powers, she was good at this. When he pointed that out to her, she only said, “I grew up in this forest,” and her face turned sad so Stiles did not say anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After they walked for half an hour, Laura said that they were getting close to their old house, and apparently her place of death was quite close to where she died.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Stiles asked her, “Do you want to take a break to see the house?” another voice broke the silence of the preserve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the fuck are you talking to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stiles turned to the source of the voice, and although he never saw him before, the similarities were obvious: he was Laura’s brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Derek Hale.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There were three things Stiles was sure of.</p>
<p>He signed up to solve the murder of a werewolf who appeared as a ghost and asked for his help.</p>
<p>Derek Hale was way more annoying than his sister, Laura (which is an accomplishment in itself, as he’s not even the <em>dead one).</em></p>
<p>And the third, his dad would have a heart attack if he saw his son was out and about after being grounded less than a day before.</p>
<p>Here Stiles was, sitting in his car in the parking lot of the local McDonalds, Derek Hale sitting next to him and Laura sitting -<em> hovering in the air </em> - behind them (only visible to Stiles.).</p>
<p>Derek was clenching and unclenching his fists, he had a short beard that was a few days old, he was in old and battered clothes. Stiles didn’t know how to break him the news - but from his look, it was easy to tell he already knew, at least some of it.</p>
<p>It wasn’t easy to convince Derek to get in the car and to come here with him. Derek was suspicious, and grieving. His eyes were bloodshot and his mouth was in a frown since the first moment they met. Stiles knew it wasn’t a good day for him.</p>
<p>“What was it you wanted to talk to me that you couldn’t talk in the preserve?”</p>
<p>Derek was looking at him in a distrusting way, and Stiles was almost lost in his green eyes. <em> Almost. </em></p>
<p>“I didn’t want anyone else to think I’m crazy when they see me talking to the air.”</p>
<p>“What does that even mean?”</p>
<p>Laura was quiet, the traitor. She didn’t even help him with how to start the conversation.</p>
<p>“Have you ever heard of the app Ghosting?”</p>
<p>Derek slowly nodded his head, not understanding how an app could be important now. And Stiles started talking. </p>
<p>He explained how he met Laura through the app, how she needed his help to find his killer, how they were at the preserve to see if there were any clues that could help them when Derek saw Stiles.</p>
<p>Stiles could see in Derek’s eyes that Derek wasn’t fully believing him. Even for a supernatural being who wasn’t a stranger to ghosts, this was difficult to grasp.</p>
<p>“How do I know I can trust that you are telling the truth?”</p>
<p>“How else would I know about you and Laura?”</p>
<p>“For all I know you somehow tricked her and you are responsible for her death.”</p>
<p>“What the hell dude? Why would I do that?” With that, he turned to Laura. “Can you be helpful and say something that would convince your brother to believe me?”</p>
<p>Laura was thinking it over, after a few seconds she told him to remind Derek of the pact they made between them 6 years ago.</p>
<p>When Stiles told Derek this, Derek’s eyes turned misty and he got out of the car without saying anything.</p>
<p>“Shit. Should I go after him?”</p>
<p>When he turned to look at her, Laura was in a similar state of distress. “No. Give him some time. He’ll come back.”</p>
<p>“How do you know?”</p>
<p>“I just do. Get inside and get yourself some coffee. Also get him a flat white with soy milk.”</p>
<p>Stiles guessed that this was Laura’s way of distracting Stiles and having some alone time for herself. Stiles didn’t comment on her wet face and got out of the car.</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>After Derek almost had another breakdown over Stiles getting him his preferred drink (due to insider knowledge from Laura) they ended up at Derek’s hotel room.</p>
<p>Stiles was trying hard not to think about how this was the first time he was in another boy’s room but they were there to talk about how to solve a murder instead of <em> literally anything else. </em></p>
<p>“So when you went to the crime scene the police were already there and you didn’t actually see anything?” When Stiles nodded, Derek continued. “Then as Laura didn’t see anything or hear anything we don’t have any clues.”</p>
<p>“Actually…”</p>
<p>“Actually what?!” With Stiles’s outburst, Derek looked at Stiles’ right as if he could see her there if he tried hard enough.</p>
<p>“I smelled something, just before.” Laura seemed to struggle for a minute. “I smelled something - or <em> someone </em> - familiar, that might be why I didn’t realize it as a threat. Along with that, I got a hint of medicine… and I guess, sickness?”</p>
<p>When Stiles explained this information to Derek, he got a frown on his face while he concentrated which Stiles refused to call it <em> adorable </em>. </p>
<p>“Shit.”</p>
<p>“What?” Stiles turned to look at Laura, and saw that she was confused at this outburst as well.</p>
<p>“We need to go to the hospital. Beacon Hills Memorial.”</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>While they were in Stiles’ car again, Derek explained to him that he and Laura weren’t the only survivors of the fire. Their uncle was alive - but just barely. He was in a coma, catatonic actually, for the last 6 years. When Laura mentioned the smell she got just before her death, Derek thought about their uncle.</p>
<p>“So do you think he got better after all this time?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know. It sounds impossible, that he would just <em> brutally </em> kill his own niece. But we need to check just in case.”</p>
<p>When they reached the hospital, Derek told him to stay in the car. When Stiles protested against that, Derek pointed out that they wouldn’t allow him anyway, as he wasn’t family.</p>
<p>After Derek went into the hospital, Stiles found himself thinking about a way to break this awkward silence between him and Laura. He knew he promised to help her, but it felt like he was mostly driving her brother around.</p>
<p>“Calm down, Stiles. I’m sure we’ll find out soon whether <em> my own uncle </em> had killed me.”</p>
<p>“I’m calm! How do you know I’m not calm? Wait, can you tell that even when you are dead?”</p>
<p>Laura chuckled, and Stiles wished that he could have known her when she was alive. Even though Stiles was 18 and Laura was 25 when she died, which would have made him too young when Laura lived in Beacon Hills for them to be actually friends, he still felt like they would have gotten along.</p>
<p>“No, but it’s obvious from your face that you are panicking. It’s cute. That you are worrying over Derek.”</p>
<p>“What? No! No. I’m not worrying over Derek - I just think if something happens to him we won’t be able to get any answers.”</p>
<p>Laura just smiled at him knowingly.</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>When Derek got back in the car, he was in a sour mode which put Stiles in an anxious mode</p>
<p>“Wait, it was actually him?”</p>
<p>“No. He was still catatonic, no movement, no talking.”</p>
<p>“Then why are you angry?”</p>
<p>“That means we are back to square one, Stiles!”</p>
<p>Derek’s claws were out, his eyes turned to blue, and he had suddenly sideburns. Stiles had never seen a werewolf before - which he had so many questions about them, especially about the sideburns - but it wasn’t the time to point that out.</p>
<p>“Calm down! We are in the parking lot of a <em> freaking </em> hospital! Do you want people to see you like this?”</p>
<p>It took a few minutes for Derek to calm down, and to hide his werewolf bits, then Stiles started talking again. “We are not back to square one. Even if it wasn’t your uncle, we know it was a werewolf, right? No regular human could just do that to Laura without her noticing them.”</p>
<p>When Derek reluctantly nodded at that, Stiles continued. “Since all the attacks including Laura happened at the preserve, I think we should focus on there. But if we are talking about a werewolf who is good at keeping themselves hidden, I guess we might need some kind of leverage too - to avoid alerting the werewolf that we are onto them.”</p>
<p>Laura responded to that before Derek could. “I think I have an idea. Can you take us to the address I will tell you?” When Stiles nodded, Laura told him the address, which was a surprise to Stiles.</p>
<p>When Derek questioned what Laura was saying, Stiles repeated it to him, and added;</p>
<p>“That’s the address of Deaton - he’s my best friend’s boss.”</p>
<p>**</p>
<p>Apparently Deaton knew about supernatural creatures, and occasionally <em> assisted </em> them. Stiles had always thought there was something weird about the dude but he would have never guessed that it would be something like this.</p>
<p>Deaton gave them a mixture of powders - which had a Latin name that Stiles didn’t bother to learn - that would mute their scents which would prevent the rogue alpha from recognizing them. </p>
<p>“I don’t understand. You just told us werewolves have heightened senses, which means they would still hear us even though they couldn’t smell us.”</p>
<p>Deaton gave him a small smile, and Stiles honestly thought he looked creepier with a smile. “This is not actually for you - it’s for Derek. It would prevent the rogue alpha from figuring out that a werewolf is onto them. When they hear Derek they’ll think he’s just a human.”</p>
<p>“<em> Just a human </em>, he says.” Derek gave a startled look at Stiles’ mumbled comment and Stiles could swear that he saw an almost smile on his stern face.</p>
<p>After Deaton explained how to use the powder to them, they left without mentioning Laura (or her ghost) to him.</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you mention Laura?”</p>
<p>Derek rolled his eyes. “How do I know he is not part of whatever this is? I don’t trust him.”</p>
<p>“My darling brother, always paranoid.” Stiles didn’t bother repeating this comment to Derek, he already knew he would get another roll of eyes. He was adorably predictable.</p>
<p>“Then why did you take the powder he gave you? How do you know he’s not poisoning you?” </p>
<p>“If he is actually illicit, why would I let him know that I’m suspicious of him?”</p>
<p>This time, it was Stiles who rolled his eyes. “Even I’m not <em> that </em>paranoid.”</p>
<p>Derek didn’t bother to answer this comment. And Stiles kept muttering under his breath while driving Derek to his motel. They needed their rest if they were starting to hunt a rogue werewolf the next day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Stiles is 18 in this fic and he is a senior, about to graduate in a few months. I didn't feel comfortable writing him as a minor and in a relationship with Derek. Not that he is in a relationship just yet. Maybe in the next chapters :)<br/>According to my plans there will be another chapter and a short epilogue that I haven't written yet but I am not planning a 7 month break this time, I promise. </p>
<p>@StrikerStiles I'm sorry for this way too late update, please forgive me&lt;3</p>
<p>Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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